Marketplace All-in-One Coal gets dethroned
Oct 7, 2025
For the first time, solar and wind energy are meeting global electricity demand, signaling a major shift in the energy landscape. Zimbabwe aims to become Africa's blueberry capital, thanks to a new tariff-free trade deal with China. Meanwhile, London police have cracked down on a gang smuggling thousands of stolen cell phones. Additionally, developing nations like Pakistan and Nigeria are rapidly expanding solar capacity, while developed countries face challenges in meeting renewable energy demands.
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Renewables Overtake Coal Globally
- Renewable energy (solar and wind) generated more electricity than coal for the first time, meeting 100% of new global demand in H1 of the year.
- Ember calls this a crucial turning point as cheap solar and batteries enable rapid uptake, especially in sunny developing countries.
China And Developing Nations Drive Growth
- China added more wind and solar than the rest of the world combined, cutting its fossil-fuel generation by 2%.
- Small and lower-income countries are seeing dramatic solar uptake because panels and batteries are now very cheap.
Decentralized Solar Is Transforming Energy Access
- Cheap solar plus batteries lets households bypass unreliable grids by buying panels off the market.
- Countries like Pakistan, Nigeria, Algeria, Zambia and Botswana show fast capacity gains from this decentralized shift.